02/08/2001 01:30 PM Senate L&C

                                                                                                                                
          SB  52-TERMINATION OF STATE PHYS THERAPY BOARD                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                              
CHAIRMAN  RANDY   PHILLIPS  called  the  Senate  Labor   &  Commerce                                                          
Committee meeting  to order at 1:30  p.m. and announced SB  52 to be                                                            
up for consideration.                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
MS. HEATHER  BRAKES, Aide  to Senator Therriault,  said SB 52  is an                                                            
act  that  extends  the termination   date  of the  State  Board  of                                                            
Physical  Therapy and  Occupational  Therapy.   It  amends Title  8,                                                            
Chapter 3, Section  10 to extend this Board an additional  six years                                                            
from June  30, 2001 to June  30, 2007. There  was a $0 fiscal  note.                                                            
The auditors  found that,  "The Board is  operating in an  efficient                                                            
and effective  manner. It should be  continued to regulate  physical                                                            
and occupational  therapists. The  Board is safeguarding  the public                                                            
interest by  promoting their competence  and integrity of  those who                                                            
hold themselves out to  the public as qualified physical therapists,                                                            
occupational   therapists,    physical   therapy   assistants,   and                                                            
occupational  therapy  assistants.   The  Board  serves  the  public                                                            
purpose and has  demonstrated an ability to conduct  its business in                                                            
a satisfactory  manner." She  noted that  the audit recommended  the                                                            
Board be extended for six years instead of the usual four.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. KAREN GRAFTON,  President, Alaska Physical Therapy  Association,                                                            
said they supported SB 52.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. CATHERINE REARDON,  Executive Director, Division of Occupational                                                            
Licensing, supported SB 52.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
MS.  MARY  VEALE,  American  Physical  Therapy  Association,  Alaska                                                            
Chapter, supported SB 52.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
MR. JIM  GRIFFIN, Audit  Manager, Legislative  Audit, said  that one                                                            
sort-of  unique thing about  the Physical  and Occupational  Therapy                                                            
Board is that  it's recommended to go beyond the four  year standard                                                            
extension suggested  in the statutes. He explained  that three years                                                            
ago the Board extended  the number of Boards and caused them to have                                                            
a good  supply  of sunsets  due in  2005.  This year  they have  six                                                            
Occupational  Licensing  Board sunset  members. If  they would  have                                                            
gone with  the standard  four years,  that would  put them at  2005,                                                            
giving his division  nine sunsets. This is mainly  to smooth out the                                                            
audit  work  load  that is  required  under  AS  44.66.  They  chose                                                            
Physical and  Occupational Therapists  because they felt  that Board                                                            
"was a clean audit."  They had the least amount of  issues coming up                                                            
on the horizon.  All the other boards  and commissions in  the class                                                            
have some issues coming up.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  TORGERSON   moved  to  pass  SB  52  from  committee   with                                                            
individual recommendations.  There were no objections  and it was so                                                            
ordered.